1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a padding system for allowing individuals with large breasts to lay prone more comfortably than with conventional padding systems. The present invention also allows therapists better access to a person's upper back while they are supine on the padding system.
2. Description of Related Art
Various cushion support and mattresses are known in the art for improving comfort to a woman laying prone by providing features on the cushion to receive the woman's breasts so that pressure on the breasts are reduced. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,548,728 to Milam discloses a mattress including a removable section of the mattress which is designed to be used when the bed is to be used by a woman having large breasts so that she may comfortably lie on her face. In this regard, recesses are formed upon the removal of the section to receive the breasts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,384 to Blosser discloses a spinal adjustment table for use in osteopathy. The table includes separate support surfaces for the head, chest-abdomen and hip areas. The chest-abdomen support surface also includes breast receiving openings to facilitate altering the curvature of the dorsal spinal region without putting appreciable pressure on the breasts.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,061 to Giori et al. discloses a female anatomical mattress including a generally rectangular body supporting structure. The body supporting structure has an upper panel with a generally rectangular cavity that extends downwardly and toward the lower panel for receiving breasts of a female lying face down on the mattress. A generally rectangular head supporting structure is rounded and is sized for positioning within the cavity of the body supporting structure when not used to support a person's head. The mattress is disclosed as being foam filled or inflatable.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,768 to Schlechter discloses a cushion support to be placed on a bed or other horizontal support surface which allows a woman to lie or sleep in a face-down position without exerting pressure on the breasts. The cushion support includes an elongated block or wedge of foam material. The front section of which is horizontally oriented supports the upper rib cage and the sternum of the user, and a wedge-shaped lower section supports the torso of the user. Vertically oriented arcuate recesses are provided to accommodate the breasts. When lying in a face-down position, the breasts of the user depend downwardly into the recesses without contacting the underlying support surface or the cushion support.
Despite the known cushion and mattress designs, such devices are not commonly used. One reason is that they can be a source for embarrassment to the therapist and/or client due to the conspicuous shape of the prior art cushions and mattresses. For example, if the devices of the above noted prior art references are used in the intended manner, immediate attention is drawn to the client's breasts which can be embarrassing, especially if the client or the therapists is a male. Moreover, such known cushion and mattress designs only serve to increase comfort to the client when the client is laying prone on his/her stomach, and does not provide any benefit when the client is laying supine on his/her back. In this regard, such features for the breasts can actually decrease the client's comfort when laying supine because there is complete lack of support for the client in the breast receiving portions of the cushion or mattress.
Therefore, there exists an unfulfilled need for an improved cushion or mattress for improving comfort of the client when the client is laying prone on his/her stomach by minimizing pressure to the client's breasts. There also exists an unfulfilled need for such a cushion or mattress that is less conspicuous so as to not attract attention to the client's breasts. There further exists an unfulfilled need for such a cushion or mattress that is also comfortable when the client is laying supine on his/her back.